Founded in Greensboro, North Carolina, this fast food chain brought new life to the Richmod fast food scene, there are few fast food restaurants that I like, but they do have a lot of variety, a great NC bbq sandwich, great corn dog, and the burgers taste very good. I like the smaller portions of fries and that you can build a combo tray with a variety of sides to pick from, not just fries. Cookout is also known for their milkshakes, they are not my favorite but I think you have to find a flavor that works for you, for me it is the caramel fudge. A solid fast food choice if on the go, the employees are generally friendly and orders filled accurately. read more

Fast. Cheap and easy. Great fast food joint! Would recommend the BBQ sandwich all the way!

Decided to try out Cook Out on a recent late night road trip. I ordered the Cook Out tray for $4.99 which is a steal based on the cost comparison to the DC area in addition to how much food you receive. When ordering the Cook Out tray you receive the option of a 1/4 lb burger or other type of sandwich including chicken, quesadilla or two hot dogs plus two sides and a choice of beverage. Dual drive thrus lines help you get served quickly. read more

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OMG! How dare they finally bring a Cookout to Richmond!? This has TOTALLY screwed with my fat girl sensibilities! How do they expect me to stick to my New Year's resolution to eat right when they do stuff like bring a Cook Out to Richmond, VA?! When I saw this place I didn't care that I was running late, I had to satisfy my many YEARS long craving for a slaw dog, onion rings, and banana fudge milkshake! No more planning trips back to G'boro just for a hot dog and milkshake! This place definitely brings back memories of hanging out after college games and just overall good fun! Ok, back to Cook Out! I can't say enough good things about this place. All I can recommend for you to do is go and try it for yourself. I guarantee you won't be disappointed. The only thing (at this time) is that the line is long, but it moves fast and it's worth the wait. I guess I'm not the only one in Richmond who knows about this new gem in town! But don't fret, they're slated to bring 6 more Cookouts within the next year or so, so you can get your Cookout fix from any point in the city! Go try it out and make sure you let your friends know about this place. No more grilling on the patio with your Northface and snowboots on just to get a grilled burger. Head on down to Cookout and get your some REAL cookout food that's at a decent cost! You won't want to go anywhere else! read more

YEEEEEEEEEEEEES. $0.99 corn dogs. $0.99 for 12 hush puppies- delicious hush puppies. $2.39 for a thick creamy milkshake in one of 39 flavors. Like Heath Bar. It has real bits of Heath Bar in it. YUM-TASTIC. $0.99 for a mustard relish dog. Yup. Sweet mustard relish and a juicy hot dog. Need I say more? It's fast, cheap, and DELICIOUS. I am going to gain a million pounds now that this place is open in Richmond. read more

The newest InRich rave 'Cookout' so that was todays lunch....and....and... 4 out of 5 stars! Had the Cajun Chicken sandwich and though lacking enough cajun flaovr like Popeye's original chhicken it was grilled nicely. The chick was tender, delicious and juicy like I like to eat all my chick and hot. The onion rings were good however my double order was more like a single order. $4.66 for a good samwhich, 2-sides and a pop (cookout tray) is the lowest fast, tasty food stop in town. Just pay attention to the traffic and lengthy lines but it moves swiftly. read more

Ok...so I'm reading all these reviews and I must have really struck out at this place. The food was...uhh...OK. It reminded me of cafeteria food back in middle and highschool. The 99 cent hush puppies were gross and small and had little to no flavor at all. The burger was good...when I was drunk and hungry. Nothing, and I mean NOTHING reminded me of going to a "cook-out" I love good food but I also have a taste for greasy, delicious fast food...and this place is not good. at all. read more

Oh, Cook-out. I don't know if I should love you or hate you. Hate you, because you are only 4 minutes away from my house and that temptation is really bad for my health. Love you, because you satisfy that home style hamburger craving like nowhere else can. CHEDDAR STYLE or go home. Mmmm bacon. Also, thanks for never putting mayo on my burger like I ask. I can't get that kind of service at fast food restaurants, well, ever. I seriously have anxiety about the possibility of mayo being on my burger because of years of whoppers being smothered with the stuff. Yes, I have issues with this condiment. Lets move on. The menu is confusing, so if you sweat at the idea of holding up the line, check out their menu online (the prices on there are NOT accurate, though... boo). The fries are meh, the o-rings are yummy (but sparse) and the milkshakes are thiiiiick and beautiful. You gotta try one. So far I've had four different flavors, but I think "Peanut Butter Fudge" is my fave. It's heaven in a cup. read more

Talk about a lot of bang for your buck!!! I got a corndog here (because I was too drunk to read the rest of the menu and remembered that someone mentioned corndogs earlier) and hushpuppies and a milk shake all for about $4.50. WHAAATTTT?!?!?!?! Seriously?!?!?! Now that's a lot of value for your money!!! Granted the food was just pretty good but that was probably my fault because I should've gotten something other than a corndog. Why is this place so awesome?? Because the milkshakes are delicious, the food is cheap and you can get things like corndogs and quesadillas as SIDES. That's right, SIDES! (Probably contributing to the obesity problem in America, but it's not like people eat here every day. OK, scratch that... so it's not like MOST of us eat here every day.) Cookout is awesome. :-) read more

Sometimes you want burgers that taste like you made them off your backyard charcoal grill without having to actually do the work. And sometimes you want good old fashioned onion rings, fries or a shake. When you do, this is where you come. Cookout is tasty and cheap! read more

Their milkshakes are awesome. Food isn't costly. The service is at a good pace considering both lines are long every time I go there. I'd love to see them have more space where you can choose to sit outside on the patio or inside like at the Wilson, NC location. read more

Burgers are good. Fries are alright. Shakes are delicious. Customer service is pretty good. Overall decent fast food joint. Love that they're open til 3am because I hit the gym pretty late at night. I'll keep coming back! read more

I don't frequent the Richmond area often, but when I do I love to stop by Cookout for cheap, satisfying, fill-me-up food. Located downtown Richmond -- not too far from VCU - this joint offers a variety of foods: burgers, hushpuppies, and coleslaw (oh my!), amongst other tasty snacks: corndogs, fries, milkshakes, wraps, quesadillas, onion rings.... you feel my drift? If you're looking for something quick and tasty bypass Chick-fil-a, Burger King, and yes, even McDonalds, and head to this fast-food joint right off Broad street. Pros: -Dirt-cheap! Seriously, you can order a meal (one entrée and two sides PLUS drink) for under $5.00. If you would like to upgrade your soft drink to a milkshake it's only a dollar more. -Satisfying. Okay, okay, it's not a five star restaurant or even your local Friday's. IT'S a fast food "restaurant" so please don't expect service to be swift or your food to be cooked by a 4 star chef. IT IS WHAT IT IS -- a college town's local late night joint. That being said, I guarantee it will hit the spot after a late night of drinking, smoking, or whatever else you've been getting yourself into. -There are over 20 different milkshakes from chocolate cherry to blueberry all under $3.00 Cons: In reality there really are no cons. I have read reviews complaining about the quality of the food, service, and even the establishment itself. But you get what you pay for, and when a dozen of hushpuppies are .99 cents there really isn't too much to bitch about. read more

I looove this place!! Quality fast food for cheap The bbq sandwich with cole slaw and hotsauce is deelish. The milkshakes are heavenly. You cant beat getting a sandwich, two sides, and a drink for less than $6 read more

Ok, the most important thing to remember about this place is that there is NO ordering line, you must be in a car for drive thru only. So if you have no problem with that, expect the wait to be a long time during busy hours. I went at 2:30pm and my line still have 6 cars in front of me. With that said, you do get your food very fast as soon as you drive up to the window. Now the food, the price is very good for what you get and that's a bonus for someone like me who's trying to cut down on eating out expenses. The selections of different milkshakes is amazing. I did not get the burgers this time as I wanted to try the bbq plate first. which in my opinion is average like most places. but that's just me, I was spoiled by this one place which doesn't exist anymore and I prefer a different style of bbq compare to Carolina's. The milkshake that I got, Banana berries is exceptional. it is a diet killer for sure. I will definitely go back again and give the burger a try next time. and a different flavor milkshake as soon as figure out my jogging schedule. read more

All of these other reviews are laughable, at best. Honestly, you are reviewing a "fast food" restaurant. Of course it's not going to be a fine dining experience. For this being Virginia's first location, and having a property lot that is confining to how their drive thru path works, they have an ample staff that is capable of pumping out food as quickly as humanly possible. Naturally, mistakes are going to happen when you're serving quite close to 100 cars every hour. The vast menu offers something for everyone, and as all the other reviews suggested, their prices are quite nearly unbeatable. The burgers stomp out McDonald's, Burger King, and even Wendy's. Hands down. To compare this to Five-Guys, the quality of the burger might not be quite on that par, but you're also not spending 5-6$ on JUST the burger alone. The combination of the low price, and it being nearly the best FAST FOOD option available in the West End, it's no wonder they have a line 15 cars deep going down the road in front of Kroger. read more

Ok, I gave this place another shot. Got a hamburger "all the way", fries, and a coke. It was decent. Still not as good as Five Guys, but a perfectly decent burger. The biggest difference between this trip and my earlier trip is that they actually got my order right this time. I still maintain that the audio system they're using at the drive through is pretty poor. The people in the restaurant seem to have a lot of trouble hearing the customers. But when all was said and done, the burger was just fine. read more

No walk up line? This is stubbornness staring impracticality right in the eye with authority. No one should have to wait 20min for fast food, nonetheless on a public road. The only posted menu is at the ordering station, so a first-timer such as myself has to interpret the menu at the ordering station, creating an even bigger holdup. After ordering, we are expected to eat in our car, unless the picnic table-less parking lot next door that seemingly belongs to the church becomes our designated eating area. Logistically these people are in the stone age...as well as the local agency that allows them to operate. The food itself was pretty good. For under five bucks I had a flavorful cajun chicken sandwich, and two sides! (small, but still two). The menu is expansive and although the milkshake was highly recommended, I couldn't find the room in my stomach. Maybe I would go back during off hours. read more

Mmmm... A hot dog, hush puppies and a Dr Pepper. I can feel my arteries closing up, but I don't even care. As an out-of-towner, I feel robbed that there isn't a Cook-Out anywhere near me. I mean, the place had chicken strips as a side. A SIDE! read more

As long as you're not expecting fine dining, you won't be disappointed with your meal from Cook Out. I took my son there to pick up lunch, and the two of us ate a LOT of food for $6.90 (including tax). The value is tremendous, and the quality is surprisingly high for the low cost. We went through the drive-thru. I'm told that some locations have outdoor seating or a walk-up window. This one had neither, but it didn't impact us. Anyway, the menu can be overwhelming, especially if you've never been before and if there's someone behind you on line. There are quite a lot of items from which to choose. I had a BBQ sandwich with fries and hushpuppies. My son had chicken nuggets and fries. The fries were probably the most generic item we had, but he still ate his body weight in them (please send the Good Parenting Award directly to my house). The hushpuppies were perfectly fried -- crispy outside, moist and flavorful inside. The BBQ was tender and the sauce had a little bit of heat, but enough even for me to handle, and I'm as big a wuss as there is for spicy food. There was a little bit of a wait at the window for our food, but it was less than five minutes. I've been kept waiting longer at big chain fast food restaurants for food that couldn't hold a candle to this. I'm truly looking forward to going back so that I can try more items from their menu. You will, too. read more

The smoke coming out of the stack was more impressive than the burgers! The double burgers were equivalent to one whopper. No love went into the making of this burger, the fries were over cooked and the nuggets were dry. The vanilla shake was the best. Keep driving! read more

I usually never have a problem with the food, it's the people that work there that are the issue. They're completely unprofessional. Cussing in the drive them while I'm at the window while someone else is ordering read more

Today was my second time visiting Cook-Out... The first time was Yay, I'm a Fan, but today has solidified the Woohoo! As good as it gets! Why did I offer the additional star you ask? Well, I ordered the same meal, but this time with a shake, the most mouth watering Styrofoam cup of goodness anyone could ever have, which switched my mind to a 5!!!! The Strawberry Cheesecake Milkshake had little bits of yummy cheesecake and strawberries swimming all around my cup and stopping up my straw!!!! Excellence I must say... This place is well worth the 20 minute wait in line. Many people get upset about the long lines, but the whole experience is what makes this place special. Cars a lined up down the street just to get a taste of the best burgers and shakes a man or woman has ever tasted. Not to mention the price is just as delectable as the food!!! UNDER 5 BUCKS, for a combination of a sandwich and two sides... Trust me, it doesn't get any better than this... If you don't mind waiting 20 frustrating, yet irresistible minutes for one of the best burgers you will ever eat, then Cook-Out is for you!!! read more

The food quality is decent for what you pay. The cashiers are terrible. I usually don't get exactly what I order. Sometimes I get my food almost immediately and sometimes I have to wait awhile with nobody in front of me. They are inconsistent to say the least. The quality of the food is what keeps me coming back. It's not as good as your average cook-out, but it is still worth going to. read more

they say online they are open but they just decide tbey close early.if it says open to 3am dont be jackass and mislead people with false open hours. read more

There is no better fast food chain in NC than Cook Out so I was happy to see that had moved this way. They have a better selection and better prices than the competition. Plus they are happy to make me an "Arnold Palmer" (half iced tea and half lemonade) without thinking it weird. Also, just wait til you see their milkshake menu. read more

Got the grilled chicken sandwich, cheddar style, a blueberry milkshake, and hush puppies. Price was great and I loved the milkshake options (I think they listed around 40 flavors). The ordering system was a little intimidating for a first timer. We had to park, get out of the car, and look at the menu from a distance before going through the drive-thru because one of the employees got annoyed with us taking so long and we didn't want to hold up the line. Chicken sandwich was decent, the milkshake was WAY too thick for my liking (took me about 20 minutes to be able to fully drink it), and hush puppies were good. You know I don't really expect much from fast food but for the price Cook-Out is really great and I am excited to go back and find my go-to order there like it seems every RIchmonder has. read more

It's OK food like a lot of fast food it's kind of touching go depends on what the cashier mood happens to be I have heard some good cashiers of that place and I have heard some real nasty ones but don't go there within 30 minutes before they close because their food is not gonna be fresh read more

I LOVE Cookout! It is incredibly low priced, probably due to the fact that there is no seating. Their burgers are about $3.00 for a half pound, best deal in Richmond. You can pile on the toppings as well. The fries are in very small servings, I usually order two orders for myself. Do not go to Cookout without ordering a shake. Their shakes are INCREDIBLE!!!! They have over 40 flavors and I have tried a good amount of them. Amazing. Minus one star because they do not have cookie dough shakes.... How do they not have cookie dough shakes, yet they have almost every other flavor imaginable? One more comment: It's a drive through, so HAVE YOUR ORDER READY. I cannot stress this enough. There is nothing more annoying than being behind someone who does not have their order ready. Even if you are ordering for 20 people, having your order ready will speed up the process for everyone around you. read more

Almost went with 4 stars due to the line and other cars being so close to me made me a bbit on edge, but that's not there fault the food is good. I had the huge cheddar style burger it was not too greasy and pretty basic onion rings, fries, corndog and a banana pudding milkshake. Everything was good but the milkshake was the best believe I have ever had. It lived up to its hype and was better and way cheaper then five guys. read more

Amazing bbq. I had never heard of this place but ate there 3 times in a week while staying in town.

The line was kinda long I ordered my food when I got to the counter to leave he was rude as I asked her a question she rolled her eyes at me and I did not have a good experience but I know the food will be good read more

The quality of the food is outstanding, especially the barbecue, and the sheer variety of milkshakes they offer is downright silly. If you ask, they can make any combination of the individual flavors on the menu. The service leaves something to be desired, though -- they could install a menu for you to peruse while you're waiting in their ever-present drive-through line, which would speed up ordering (right now, the only menu is the one you order from, which means you have to wait to decide what you want, hold up everyone else while you decide, then wait some more while they prepare your order). They also have a tendency to get my food wrong, although they're always very nice about fixing it, and they will frequently let you keep whatever they brought you in the first place, so you end up with more food than you ordered. The bottom line is that you can get dinner for two, including milkshakes, for under $10, and the food is delicious. That's a far better deal than traditional fast food restaurants, and I'd choose Cook Out over McDonald's any time. read more

I normally get off work after 12 and go to cook out because it's walking distance from where I'm staying and have no problem, but recently this fat, orange beard, lazy, and unprofessional greasy man says they don't do walk ups after nine. But only when he's working have I had a problem read more

Nothing but mayo on a bun everytime i get a burger , just give me a jar of mayo if u wanna put that much on it everytime i go here and its now to the point im sick of it and reviewing ! I shouldnt have to wipe it off everytime read more

*Great price *Better than most fast food restaurants *4 onion rings....really....REALLY?! *Needs walk up take out *Great location *I got a corn dog and was surprised with a side of mustard in a slaw cup Over all pretty nice place to eat for people that are willing to wait 20 minutes to order and likes fried food. Oh yeah did I mention I love there milkshakes, if anything you have to try them. Gosh.... Your mom goes to college.... And she might like The Cookout as well =) read more

if you want to eat on a budget with relatively quick service, this is the place to go! you get a lot for your money. the tray is your best bet. you get one main entree and 2 side along with a drink. or you can order al la carte if you aren't hungry with still great prices. all in all. not a bad place for a quick meal and a small budget. it does get pretty busy during the lunch hours though so expect to be in a line a few minutes longer. but after you order you can expect that your food is ready or you right at the window. read more

Cook-out is awesome, but you have to order right. If you pick shit off the menu individually, it's expensive. If you get a tray and upgrade to a milkshake, you get an awesome deal - burger, fries, corn dog, and a really good milkshake for $5.50. Note that you get a better deal if you get a side that can't be split in half. If you get hushpuppies, you get half of a 99 cent order of hushpuppies. However, since they can't split a corn dog in half, you get an entire 99 cent corn dog with the tray. Their burgers are somewhere between Wendy's and Five Guys, and the barbecue will do in a pinch. read more

First of all...the lines for this place went out of the parking lot and down the street. It's the old Bullets-but there's obviously a drive thru now. Actually make that two drive thru's. Anyways-I paid $4.25 for a quarter pounder with cheese and all the fixings...plus I got to pick TWO sides. The side choices are BAD ASS! Chicken nuggets, hush puppies, fries, Onion rings...and several more I can't remember. I also got a Banana Split shake included in that meal. Now the burger actually TASTED like it had been cooked on a grill...delicious and juicy! To top it off the guy who took my order knew his sh*t and was super easy and cool. The line was DOWN THE STREET and this guy was a calm and collected as can be. I think he probably felt kinda like a celebrity! I totally recommend this place. Two thumbs up fo sho. read more

-This particular Cook-Out is drive-thru only. I didn't know that. Don't be deceived by the parking lot. -There are two drive-thru lanes. The outer drive-thru lane will have a window on the driver's side of the car. The inner drive thru-lane will not. The window where you pay and retrieve your food will be on the passenger side of the car. I also didn't know that, so I drove pass the window and had to reverse to get back to the window. Once at the window, I had to get out of the car to pay and retrieve my food. I still don't know if that was the right thing to do. I once said that Cookout was just alright, but I have since seen my wrongs. Why? Because Cookout truly has some of the best food I've ever eaten. For example, their chicken quesadilla? To quote Drake, "Best I've ever had." Their burgers? Delicious. The same could be said about their hushpuppies and barbecue sandwich. I could go on and on. However, I will stop there and say that you will not enjoy your meal here if you simply just order all the fried items on the menu. You need to balance it with an entree, the first option on their tray, like a burger, barbecue sandwich, or hot dog. Then you can add the sides, which also need to be balanced. E.g. If you get a quesadilla, you probably shouldn't get a bacon wrap because that's a lot of tortilla. And last but not least, your drink. My advice: share it with a friend, especially the colossal thick and creamy milkshake. I've yet to finish one on my own. read more